Summer heat has Yellowknife planners primed for sidewalk patios

This may be Yellowknife's summer of outdoor snacks.

A concept long lusted after by some the sidewalk patio could be introduced this year if embraced by councillors on Tuesday.

City administrators propose offering sidewalk patios to restaurateurs within a downtown stretch from 44th to54th Streets.

The City of Yellowknifecontrols developments like these because the sidewalks are city land as opposed to other patios set back from the street on private property.

If councillors approve, downtown restaurants would require an additional outdoor liquor licence to serve alcohol on their patios. Smoking on the patios would be banned.

Coun. Adrian Bell said "there's really no good reason" to reject the plan.

"We are hoping to bring forward a vision for the downtown. We wanted to look at some things we could do for this year and this was an obvious one," Bell said.

"I've got two [restaurant owners] asking me about it regularly," he said."They're waiting to see this memo, they're waiting to move forward very quickly."

Patio U-turns

That enthusiasm has been less apparent in the past.

Yellowknife's The Black Knight Pub, for example, previously claimed its efforts to establish a sidewalk patio were rebuffed by the city.

But a memo supporting this year's proposal expects patios to "attract more people including residents and visitors alike and promote tourism."

Jason Perrino co-owner of Twist & Shout, which already operates an elevated patio above the 50th-Street sidewalk says this is a straightforward way to improve the downtown ambience.

"Any initiative that can bring people downtown to shop, eat, and walk around helps every business," Perrino said.

"Our summers are so short and people want to be outside. They don't necessarily want to go inside to do stuff.

"Let's make it happen. Patio season has begun, so are we going to wait 'til the next patio season? Or the next one after that? Or the one after that?"

'Not cheap'

Bell believes there is broad support for introducing sidewalk patios this summer, but admits the late start may prove an obstacle.

He also has concerns that the cost of building a temporary sidewalk around the patioswhich restaurateurs would have to construct themselves toan exacting codecould be a burden for some.

"These structures are not cheap. It's a cost that not all restaurants are in a position to invest in at short notice," Bell said.

"There might be some options there to make this easier for restaurateurs. We could look at creating a grant."

A pilot program will go ahead if the majority of councillors vote in favour on Tuesday.

Franklin Avenue is exempt from the proposal;sidewalk patios along the city's busiest street would remain prohibited.